The regular season is over. Playoffs are here. You know what that means.
It’s time for me to tell you who’s going to win Super Bowls.
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My record speaks for itself. Don’t bother checking my preseason predictions because I did and, unsurprisingly, they were 100 percent accurate. Absolutely nailed every team, every seed, because that’s what I do. Plus, you don’t want to spoil this column, right?
In three weeks, the season is going to be over and I’ll be taking my first step into seasonal depression. Let’s have some fun – and let’s start by making some predictions that in no way will backfire on me in any way.
They’re on a bye this week, so we’ll keep this section short and dive into it next week.
It’s Hendricken vs. La Salle and the Hawks aren’t losing.
YOUR STATE CHAMP IS: Hendricken
While half the state hates this playoff, I hate those people because I want more football, not less.
There are two sides of this bracket and there is one obvious one you want to be on.
Not a crazy take, but whoever wins Saturday’s game between Burrillville and Barrington will play for a title. I’m not trying to knock Central. The Knights are a good, tough team, but at some point injuries become too much to overcome. It’s not that they have to replace starters – they’re replacing them with starters at other positions, which weakens those spots as well. I’m taking Burrillville on Saturday and at Conley, a game which should not be scheduled at the same time as the State Championship semifinals.
The other side of the bracket is going to be a battle. You can sell me on any of the three teams. I don’t like picking against Kelan Cornell. Portsmouth is coming off the biggest win any public school has had in over a decade. North Kingstown is playing its best football right now.
If Friday’s game is in Cranston, I’m flying with the Falcons. In Portsmouth, the Patriots are a different group. Coming off last week they have confidence and that will take them places – specifically, North Kingstown.
The bad news for the Patriots is no one is more confident right now than the Skippers. Love NK to win a semifinal, regardless of who it is.
Seeing one of the state’s biggest schools in NK play one of the state’s smallest in Burrillville is a story I’m all in on. I think the Broncos could win that game, but the Skippers’ depth is too much for them to overcome.
But when you make a preseason pick, you stick with it.
YOUR CONSOLATION CHAMP IS: Burrillville
The top three teams established themselves early as the favorites and I just don’t see a scenario where we can an upset. No. 1 South Kingstown, No. 2 Westerly and No. 3 West Warwick move on. The Lincoln-East Providence game should be closer, but the Townies’ size gives them the edge. Chalk it is.
East Providence looks better than South Kingstown. Between the uniforms, the skill guys and how they’ve won games, the Townies look like a Super Bowl team. None of that matters to the Rebels – and its showed every week.
A West Warwick-Westerly rematch will be fun. With Landon Husereau getting further away from his three-week injury hiatus, his game is only going to get sharper. The Bulldogs’ defense needs to stop James Branch and if they do that, they’re fine.
In the preseason I told you who was playing in the Super Bowl – South Kingstown and Westerly. I’m not changing my pick to win it.
YOUR DIVISION II CHAMP IS: South Kingstown
The playoff race in D-III is going to come down to one thing – can defenses tackle Jordan Duke. If he continues to bully the opposition, this thing is over.
I’m taking the top three seeds because I’m a coward and want Mt. Hope to move on to the semifinals because it’s good for the story. The Huskies have something to prove and now they’re going to show it.
In the semifinals, Classical wins because Mt. Hope sells out on stopping Duke and Parker Howley throws for like 350 – big Jacoby Tavares day. Pilgrim’s inability to stop the run has become noticeable and provided Ponaganset sticks to the game plan, it should be fine. Chieftains just have to remember if they get kicked out for trash talk or late hits, they can’t play in the Super Bowl.
A Classical-Ponaganset Super Bowl rematch is fun for one reason – can the Chieftains walk the walk, or just continue to talk the talk. The team has earned a deserved reputation for yapping on the field, but they were awful quiet in the fourth quarter the last time they played the Purple.
Offense won’t be Classical’s problem. Stopping the run will. If Ponaganset is patient, going with a three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust mentality, it can win this game.
I’d love to pick an upset, but I’m taking my preseason pick.
YOUR DIVISION III CHAMP IS: Classical
If there’s going to be total chaos this postseason, it’ll happen in D-IV because that’s what D-IV does.
There’s some confidence in taking the top two seeds – Narragansett and Scituate – in the quarterfinals. Tiverton is healthy again and while Davies is the favorite, a Tigers’ win wouldn’t shock me. Looking at Smithfield and Juanita Sanchez, it’s easy to see who the Mariners are rooting for. I’m not picking that team.
Narragansett’s offense is the show, but Smithfield’s defense matches up fairly well. The Sentinels have great edge pressure and solid defensive backs and could turn a semifinal into a rockfight. In the preseason I picked Smithfield over Gansett in the Super Bowl but since this is a semi I’m allowed to change my pick and I’ll go with the Mariners.
Scituate is the team that’s best suited for the postseason. The Spartans run the football better than anyone in D-IV, play tough on defense and are in a better position to make the Super Bowl than they would be if they were the No. 1 seed.
In the preseason I had Narragansett over Scituate in the semifinals. In the regular season, the two teams played one of the best games of the year. Starting Super Bowl Saturday with this game is going to be a blast.
YOUR DIVISION IV CHAMPION IS: Narragansett
There they are. My postseason picks. Print ’em out, post the in the locker room.
Now let’s get on to this week’s picks.
Division I quarterfinals
If re-elected Ken Hopkins really wants to show how much he loves Cranston, he gets the team a police escort across the Washington Bridge and gets a couple fan buses to bring students to the game.
THE PICK: Patriots
Division II quarterfinals
What wins in the playoffs? Running the ball and defense. There’s a reason the Rebels are the No. 1 seed and we’re about to find out.
THE PICK: Rebels
Every other cheer group and pep band needs to stop doing “The Rumble.” It’s the Townie Rumble. Anything else sounds wrong.
THE PICK: Townies
Regardless of how this ends, Lorenzo Perry put down a solid foundation on his program. The Quakers’ future looks bright. Now the boosters need to figure out how to put together an NIL collective and swipe Landon Husereau.
THE PICK: Bulldogs
Wanted to get to this game because the Villa Novans are primed to pull the upset … but there’s also a chance they lose by 30.
THE PICK: Wizards
Division III quarterfinals
Don’t expect to see a lot of Jordan Duke in this one because if things go right, he’ll be resting up by halftime.
THE PICK: Purple
Can the Huskies overcome distractions they created themselves? We’ll find out. The healthy Vikings are a different team than the one that’s hit the field the last few weeks, but it might not matter against a Mt. Hope team that’s playing with a chip on its shoulder.
THE PICK: Huskies
So after the teams combined for 102 points in their last matchup, this one has to end like 13-7, right?
THE PICK: Patriots
In theory this is a blowout win for the Chieftains, but this is also a bad matchup. The Cougars are physical, will have the best player on the field, and know how to win big games – something these Ponaganset players haven’t played in. I think I like my pick, but this one will be tight.
THE PICK: Chieftains
Division IV quarterfinals
The D-IV Super Bowl is set for Saturday, Nov. 23, so if the Mariners wanted to keep a regular schedule it should probably host its semifinal next Saturday, just saying.
THE PICK: Mariners
The key to this game? Bafuka Walanga. If he goes off, the Cavaliers win this game. If the Sentinels show any interest in trying to tackle the Derrick Henry of D-IV, their season is ending Friday.
THE PICK: Sentinels
How to build (or rebuild) a program – schedule regular-season games on Thursdays and Saturdays so you get visibility and create excitement. When playoffs arrive, play a stadium that’s an easier commute for players’ families and the student body. Henry Cabral is running a masterclass.
THE PICK: Patriots
Division I quarterfinals
Going to need this game to start at 11 – none of this “we’re ready so let’s start” stuff. My kid has lax practice in Seekonk at 8, I’ve got to bring her back to Foster and then race to Burrillville. Excited for this one – but my car is not.
THE PICK: Broncos
Division IV quarterfinals
Why do we have four divisions in the RIIL? So small-school playoff games like this can exist. Love the matchup, just wish I could get there in time.
THE PICK: Spartans
